Vitamin-containing system for stabilising the immune response of animals

ABSTRACT

A vitamin-containing system for stabilising the external and the internal immune response of animals consists of two parts or “kits” to be used successively or separately, one mainly including biotin and the other mainly including vitamins E and C. Both kits include allicin and crushed radishes and are mixed in a carrier. The system is used for prophylactic or curing treatment of a number of diseases in animals, especially in farming stocks.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a vitamin-containing system forstabilising the immune response of animals, said system consisting oftwo parts or “kits” to be used either successively or separately for aprophylactic or curing treatment of a number of diseases in animals,especially in fanning stocks.

The invention is based on the idea that a visual/practical evaluation iscarried out of the deficiency symptoms and the unsatisfactoryflourishing of the stocks whereafter said stocks are subjected to atreatment or a curing by means of a suitable vitamin-containing systemwhich is described in greater detail below.

BACKGROUND ART

It is common knowledge that a wide range of diseases and healthconditions apply to farming stocks, and that these diseases and healthconditions are often caused by a weakened immune response in the stocks.These health conditions are often intensified by stress, cramped roomconditions and other disadvantageous circumstances characterising themodern agricultural production. These conditions and circumstancesmanifest themselves in many different diseases, which cause problemsboth from an animal ethical and from a purely financial point of view.The diseases include inter alia digital dermatitis; mastitis; skin, coatand hoof diseases and a weakened milk yield in cattle; diarrhea and lossof appetite as well as behavioral problems in sows and piglets;coccidiose in poultry and a reduced resistance towards bacterial andviral infections, such as coli and salmonella in all groups of animals.

Furthermore, it is common knowledge and commonly used to includeselected vitamins in the vitamin and feed mixtures for animals so as toprevent or cure specific conditions caused by malflourishing animals.Thus, the international Patent Application WO 99/48384 describes anon-human foodstuff comprising biotin and other B vitamins for improvingthe skin and coat condition of a non-human animal. Vitamin compositionscomprising inter alia biotin and vitamin C and E are known from theinternational Patent Application WO 01/97818; FR Patent Application2773484 discloses compositions with a therapeutical effect, saidcompositions inter alia comprising vitamin C and E, organic selenium andtrace minerals. The international Patent Application WO 00/25599describes a vitamin premix for animals which inter alia comprisesvitamin A, C and E together with biotin; and EP patent 0 443 743 dealswith a vitamin C preparation which also comprises vitamin E, and whichcan be used for both poultry and stocks. Moreover, the internationalPatent Application WO 01/17364 deals in particular with vitamincombinations addressing specific health indications in animals, such asflatulence and gastrointestinal diseases; and finally GB patent 595829is of interest, said patent also dealing with vitamin compositions(vitamin A, C and D and various B vitamins) for animals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

However, a common feature of all these publications is that the use ofvitamins, minerals and the like substances as prophylactic or curingsolutions of the problems applying to malflourishing animals does notensure the effect which the individual substances should be able toprovide in theory. Therefore, a demand still applies for avitamin-containing system which can prevent and/or cure the diseases ofthe animals by being administered in very defined quantities to theanimals requiring a treatment. These diseases inflict heavy financiallosses on the farmers.

Such a vitamin-containing system is provided by the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

To be more precise, the invention relates to a vitamin-containing systemfor stabilising the external and the internal immune response ofanimals, said system including two pairs or “kits” to be usedsuccessively or separately. The system according to the invention ischaracterised in that:

-   -   kit 1 includes 0.5 to 30% of biotin,        -   0.01 to 5% of allicin and        -   0 to 10% of crushed radishes (raphanus savitus)—mixed in a            carrier including oat as stabilizer, and    -   kit 2 includes 5 to 30% of vitamin E, aa        -   0.1 to 15% of stabilised vitamin C,        -   0.1 to 1% of selenium,        -   0.1 to 10% of allicin and        -   0 to 10% of crushed radishes (raphanus savitus) also mixed            in a carrier.

Each kit is mixed in a carrier which suitably includes ground oat,barley and bran. Demineralized water can also be used as carrier.

Two U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,156,333 and 5,976,568, relate to dietary systemshaving compositions resembling the composition of the system accordingto the invention. The first of said patents, U.S. Pat. No. 6,156,333relates to a feed fortifier and enhancer for preruminant calvescomprising animal plasma as well as other ingredients, such as vitamins,biotin and electrolytes. The second patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,568,relates to a modular system of dietary supplement compositions foroptimising health benefits and methods. This publication describes thetreatment of humans, in particular with a view to reduce the risk ofcoronary heart disease.

It is not known to have systems having a composition similar to thesystem according to the invention, which can be used for prophylactic orcuring treatment of a number of diseases in animals.

The two essential ingredients of the above kits are according to theinvention biotin and allicin, which are both commonly known substances.Biotin (hexahydro-2-oxo-1H-thieno[3,4-d]imidazole-4- pentanoic acid) canalso be referred to as vitamin H and is a growth factor existing insmall quantities in all live cells. The compound plays a significantpart in several native carboxylation reactions, and generally it isbound to proteins or polypeptides. Biotin serves as a cofactor forenzymes critical to the metabolism. A biotin deficiency can result in adeteriorated synthesis and metabolism of long-chained fatty acids whichare important for the cutaneous integrity. Biotin reacts with theproteinic substance avidin in raw albumen and turns inactive, and itturned out that animals fed with foodstuff including a high content ofalbumen develop characteristic skin injuries and disclose a reducedgrowth. Therefore, a biotin supplement is often used for curing skin andcoat diseases in animals. A review of the production and use of biotincan for instance be found in A. F. Wagner & K. Volkers: Vitamins andCoenzymes (Wiley, New York, 1964), page 138-159; and in D. B. McCormick,Nutr. Rev. 33, 97-102 (1975).

Allicin is the S-allylester of thio-2-propene-1-sulfinic acid and is abiologically active ingredient of freshly crushed garlic. The substanceis an antioxidant and is a native result of the enzyme allicinase actingon alliin, said reaction taking place when the tissue of the garlic bulbis disrupted. Allicin turned out to enhance the immune response and toreduce the curing period of animals by way of an accurate applicationrate. The isolation, structure and antibacterial activity of thesubstance has been described in C. J. Cavallito & J. H. Bailey, J. Am.Chem. Soc. 66, 1950-1952 (1944); the synthesis of allicin has beendescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,508,745. Pharmacological effects of allicinhas been described in P. R. Mayeux et al., Agents Actions 25, 182(1988).

It turned out that the good results with respect to prevention andcuring by means of the vitamin-containing system according to theinvention are conditioned by said vitamin-containing system beingadministered to the animals according to an accurately determinedapplication rate. However, the application rate is the same whether ornot one kit 1 is used alone, kit 2 is used alone or a combination of kit1 and kit 2 is used and irrespective of the nature of the condition thatis to be prevented or cured. The following application rate is alwaysused:

-   -   The first 7 days: Double dosage compared to the prescribed        standard dosage of the ingredient in question.    -   The following 14 days: Ordinary dosage, i.e. a dosage        corresponding to the ordinarily prescribed dosage of the        ingredient in question        which results in a total treatment period of 21 days.        Subsequently, no further vitamin is to be administered. No other        vitamins, minerals or the like substances must be administered        at any time during the treatment because these substances highly        deteriorate the effect aimed at, and at worst such substances        may have the effect that the immune response of the animals is        even worse than prior to the treatment.

The treatment using the vitamin-containing system according to theinvention starts from a practical, predominantly visual evaluation ofdeficiency symptoms relating to vitamins in the animals, said evaluationbeing combined with a diagnosis made by a veterinary with respect todiseases or a disproportion in the stock in question. Then the system tobe used in the treatment is chosen in response to the health stateevaluated, the diagnosis made and the estimated degree of problemsapplying. The following guidelines are used for the choice of system:External immune response (hoof, heel, skin, coat etc.): kit 1 Internalimmune response (parasitic and bacterial attacks etc.): kit 2

In many cases the two kits are used separately, but when a health stateis revealed which involves both the external and the internal immuneresponse, then kit 1 is initially used followed by an administration ofkit 2 or vice versa.

Generally speaking, kit 2 is used in connection with indications ofinternal diseases, stress and parasitic attacks, in connection withdiarrhea as well as in connection with calving, farrowing andparturitions. Sometimes, it is possible to use substances for reducingthe occurrence of micro-organisms in the cowsheds in case an evaluationof the risk of infection and the hygiene dictates such procedures.

It is also possible to involve homoeopathic principles in the treatment.

The vitamin-containing systems according to the invention areadvantageously administered in connection with the feeding of theanimals. It is in particular possible to use the modem foodstuff mixervehicles where the vitamin-containing system is mixed directly into thefoodstuff and homogeneously distributed therein. The system is not addeduntil maximum 5 minutes, preferably 3 to 4 minutes remain of the totalmixing period.

The invention is illustrated in greater detail by means of the followingExamples:

EXAMPLE 1

A livestock has been treated for digital dermatitis, which is aproblematic and cost-intensive disease in cows and heifers. The milkproduction drops immediately when the cows walk with difficulty due todigital dermatitis, and if the cows are not treated immediately many ofthem will die and consequently lose their value. Previously, attemptswere made at treating the disease by way of hoof trimming or by amedical treatment by means of Hoof® gel, antibiotics or blue vitriol,but without a permanent result.

The animals were treated with kit 1 including biotin for 3 weeks. Duringthe first week, each cow was administered 30 g of biotin, whichcorresponds to twice the recommended dosage. During the following twoweeks, 15 g of biotin was administered to each cow. The administrationwas made in the foodstuff. The treatment was followed by a treatmentwith kit 2.

Eight months after completion of the treatment with the system accordingto the invention, no new cases of digital dermatitis were diagnosed inthe livestock.

EXAMPLE 2

Milch cows (15 livestocks) have been treated for mastitis and coliinfections by initially being administered kit 2 followed by anadministration of kit 1. This treatment turned out to be efficient inconnection with calvings as well.

One of these livestocks revealed at the beginning 45 cases of mastitisand coli infections (cell count 540,000). After 1 month, the livestockwas stable, and after 5 months the quality of life was significantlyimproved (cell count 155,000). After 12 months, the number of mastitiscases had dropped to 9. During the same period, the number ofreproductive disorders dropped from 31 to 2.

The milk production per cow rose on average by 1200 l in 3 to 4 months.

A treatment by means of kit 2 alone has been carried out on fatteners(10 herds of pigs) in order to combat coli and salmonella infections andcoccidiosis. The same treatment has been successfully carried out on twoherds of sows in order to combat coli and salmonella infections, blacktetter and coccidiosis; and on four herds of piglets in order to enhancethe appetite and combat diarrhoea and so as to affect the behaviour ofsaid piglets.

Finally, 15 livestocks of calves (from new-born to 3 months old calves)have been treated in order to combat corona and rotavi-al infections,reduce the death-rate and in order to establish a balance of life. Herekit 2 was used as well.

EXAMPLE 3

The natural product Bilanx according to the invention is a balancedproduct containing allicin, vitamins and trace minerals (kit 2), which,iner alia, can be used for strengthening the immune response of horsesand for treating minks.

The agent is administered in horses through the foodstuff and water byadministerinng 15 ml each day prophylactically in connection with thefeeding in the morning. Optionally, it is possible to administer 5 ml inthe morning and 10 ml in the evening.

When treating horses based on the diagnosis of the veterinary, thefollowing application rate is to be used: Day Dosage in ml in themorning Dosage in ml in the evening 1 1 2 2 3 4 3 5 6 4 7 8 5 9 10 6 1112 7 13 14 8 14 13 9 12 11 10 10 9 11 8 7 12 6 5 13 15 25 14 25 25

In the following days, 25 ml is administered in the morning and in theevening for 7 days.

When treating minks, the agent is admixed in the animals' foodstuff byinitially administering 15 ml each day for 7 days to a group of 1500animals. Then, 30 ml is administered each day for 7 days and finally 45ml is administered each day for 7 days. The animals are subsequentlytreated with 50 ml each day.

When treating acute diseases (in 1500 animals), an amount of 50 ml is tobe administered in the morning and in the evening for 7 days, followedby 15 ml in the morning and in the evening after which the animals areto be treated with 50 ml each day.

This treatment is very effective against fleas.

1. Vitamin-containing system for stabilising the external and theinternal immune response of animals, said system consisting of two partsor “kits” to be used successively or separately, characterised in that:kit 1 includes 0.5 to 30% of biotin, 0.01 to 5% of allicin and 0 to 10%of crushed radishes (raphanus savitus) mixed in a carrier including oatas stabilizer, and kit 2 includes 5 to 30% of vitamin E, 0.1 to 15% ofstabilised vitamin C, 0.1 to 1% of selenium, 0.1 to 10% of allicin and 0to 10% of crushed radishes (raphanus savitus) also mixed in a carrier.2. Vitamin-containing system as claimed in claim 1, characterised inthat the carrier includes ground oat, barley and bran. 3.Vitamin-containing system as claimed in claim 1, characterised in thatthe carrier includes demineralized water.
 4. Vitamin-containing systemas claimed in claim 1, characterised in that it is administered by usingthe following dosage: The first 7 days: Double dosage compared to theprescribed standard dosage of the ingredient in question. The following14 days: Ordinary dosage, i.e. a dosage corresponding to the ordinarilyprescribed dosage of the ingredient in question which results in a totaltreatment period of 21 days.
 5. Vitamin-containing system as claimed inclaim 1, characterised in that the following guidelines are used withrespect to the choice of system: External immune response (hoof, heel,skin, coat etc.): kit 1 Internal immune response (parasitic andbacterial attacks etc.): kit 2

whereby the two kits can be used successively.
 6. Vitamin-containingsystem as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that it is administeredby using the following dosage: The first 7 days: Double dosage comparedto the prescribed standard dosage of the ingredient in question. Thefollowing 14 days: Ordinary dosage, i.e. a dosage corresponding to theordinarily prescribed dosage of the ingredient in question which resultsin a total treatment period of 21 days.
 7. Vitamin-containing system asclaimed in claim 3, characterised in that it is administered by usingthe following dosage: The first 7 days: Double dosage compared to theprescribed standard dosage of the ingredient in question. The following14 days: Ordinary dosage, i.e. a dosage corresponding to the ordinarilyprescribed dosage of the ingredient in question which results in a totaltreatment period of 21 days.
 8. Vitamin-containing system as claimed inclaim 2, characterised in that the following guidelines are used withrespect to the choice of system: External immune response (hoof, heel,skin, coat etc.): kit 1 Internal immune response (parasitic andbacterial attacks etc.): kit 2

whereby the two kits can be used successively.
 9. Vitamin-containingsystem as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the followingguidelines are used with respect to the choice of system: Externalimmune response (hoof, heel, skin, coat etc.): kit 1 Internal immuneresponse (parasitic and bacterial attacks etc.): kit 2

whereby the two kits can be used successively.